Invisible?

I watch quite a few newstype programs in the morning. CNN, the View, the Today Show. Watching them this morning you wouldn’t think this is the start of what could be a landmark case in GLBT history. Most of the news was surrounding Harry Reid’s comment about President Obama’s election. You can read an article about his apology here through CBS NEWS. The other big news story was about NBC’s seemingly monumental decision to move former Tonight Show host Jay Leno back to his slot which Conan O’Brian is now filling. I mean, how INCREDIBLY important, no? Look, I know we don’t live in a posthomophobic world, but are we SO incredibly invisible? I’m actually watching Ellen right now. Ellen, an out public figure who lives in California and has publicly supported GLBT issues in the past, hasn’t even mentioned it. Maybe I’m just overly anxious about this trial. My support is 1, this blog, and 2, I’m wearing one of my pride t shirts. I wish I were in San Francisco right now, though.

As much as I question assimilationist forms of thought, the corporatization of homosexual identities and families, and notions of “everlasting long”, I feel this important of a case should be publicized. True the Federal Court ruled against television broadcasts, but the proceedings will be put up on youtube after the fact. I’ll be uploading those videos to this blog so you can easily access them or you can just watch them and subscribe along with me. I am “pro choice” as far as marriage goes. I don’t know if anyone’s coined that phrase as far as same sex marriage is concerned. The legal rights of marriage shouldn’t be denied to people based on sexual orientation or gender. I don’t think the purpose of this blog is to question gay marriage as much as it is to increase visibility of GLBTQ issues. I mean..seriously Jay Leno? That’s one person, maybe 3 with Jimmy Kimmel and Conan, but these Prop 8 proceedings affect millions of people. It will be an important precedent, unquestionably. Perhaps the media is responding to the television ban, but they’re hardly even advertising that.

The news stories today surrounding Reid’s comment illustrate firmly that electing a black president does not suddenly project the United States into a postracial world, but at least there is conversation about it. Nothing can change without discourse, action, public knowledge.

My incitement to action is this: Talk to your friends, email your moms, your dads, your best friends, your teachers, your students, your coworkers about this trial. Get everyone following it. Make those youtube numbers skyrocket. If you’re in the San Francisco area, go out and get involved with the trial with protests. Let’s make this public, in the homes of the people who DON’T WANT TO KNOW because it’s too uncomfortable for them.

This case is bound to head to the U. S. Supreme Court but a public interest and following now is sure to put pressure on judges and will increase momentum going into such a trial. According to CNN this trial has been dubbed the Brown vs. Board of Education of this generation. I do hope the climactic moments are at least publicized, debated, and discussed in high amounts across the country and the world. Just DO SOMETHING. And yes, I know that goes for me too. I’ll keep trying to do it through art.

OK UPDATE:

The U.S. Supreme Court has suspended the youtube airing for now until they hear the opposition’s arguments. Thanks to the HRC Facebook page and Google News. This ban is in effect until Wednesday, the 13th.